Helpful Tips to Reconnect with Food and Engage the Whole Family in Mealtime

When you think about mealtimes, what words come to mind? Depending on your childhood experiences growing up, your personal relationship with food, and current overall lifestyle, the reaction you have to the idea of mealtimes can be widely spread across the board.

Some people view meals as a highlight of their day, while others dread just the thought. Regardless of what category you currently find yourself in, if you’re looking to reconnect with your food and practice some easy ways to involve the entire family, we’ve got you covered.

The Western Pattern Diet (WPD)

First things first, we can’t talk about food and meals in our culture without discussing the Western Pattern Diet. The Western-style of eating plays a massive role in many families’ daily lives due to busy lifestyles and overly full schedules. From snacks and sodas to take out and fast food, WPD isn’t always the best choice for you, even though it’s thought of as easy and convenient.

The downside of easy and convenient can lead to:

  • Lots of processed foods and meats

  • Added sugars

  • Refined grains

  • Excessive amounts of fried foods, sodas, and juices

  • Not nearly enough fruits and vegetables

It is no secret that WPD is directly linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. The good news is that people who choose to upgrade this style of eating can see positive outcomes in their health and wellness within just a few short months. I highly encourage you to check in with yourself, evaluate your current choices, and reflect on your overall relationship with food.

If your diet looks similar to Western-style, that doesn’t mean you have to change your eating habits or meal choices completely. But there may be some small tweaks you can make to your meals that will not only improve your health over time, but they’ll also allow you actually to feel better, both mentally and physically.

Small, repeatable habits are the ones that really stick around. I encourage you to do your best to view food and your style of eating with a positive mindset and start with little improvements where you can. When you prioritize healthy choices and habits, you’ll end up passing them along to your children and those who are closest to you, as well. 

Covering The Basics

When children leave their homes and move into a dorm or apartment for the first time, balancing the basics of mealtime can be a huge reality shock. Learning how to grocery shop, eat whole meals, and prepare things ahead of time may be new tasks. But for those who were exposed to these areas as children, the transition is often much smoother.

The habits we learn as kids tend to stick with us. Here are the habits I hope my kids pick up along the way: choose fresh, real foods, eat meals, don’t overeat, and stick with lots of plant-based foods.

As we talk about the basics, I like to keep it simple and break down the main categories. When parents encourage their kids to get involved, a great deal of hands-on learning takes place regardless of their age.

Grocery Shopping

  1. Create the weekly dinner menu together with your children so they can feel a part of what’s being prepared for the week

  2. Create the grocery list together which allows them to think about the complete recipe and plan ahead for the entire week

  3. Allow kids to think about the items they need/want by assessing what’s already at home

  4. Give your kids their own carts to shop with so they can learn the layout of the store

  5. Share grocery bill amounts with your children to give them realistic expectations of how much food costs and open up the conversation on how to budget their money

  6. Intentionally talk about meals and groceries throughout the year so this will eventually become second nature to them

Remember, kids at any age can participate and get involved in mealtime. Whether they’re old enough to help prep the food or simply set the table, making children feel like they’re a part of the process is empowering and shows them life skills they will benefit from in the future.

The Three Main Meals

Breakfast

Breakfast can be a challenging meal for many children and parents, especially during the school year and the early morning rush. I absolutely encourage my kids to eat breakfast, but I also understand they may not always have time to prepare the ideal meal. This is where thinking and planning ahead can be a huge help! The key is to make it easy and be considerate of time.

What can breakfast look like

  • Baked oatmeal with fruit prepared at the beginning of the week and easily reheated

  • Egg casseroles made with potatoes, breakfast meats and veggies also made at the beginning of the week

  • Hot apples/pear or peaches with cinnamon and a side of whole-grain toast

I strongly believe there is always an opportunity to upgrade your choices. Even if you’re not quite ready to switch from granola bars to eggs and fruit, try improving the choices you are currently making. Read the ingredients in your granola bars and cereals and go for a different option with less sugar and a shorter list of real ingredients.

Lunch

It is not uncommon for me to hear of other parents in my network packing their kids’ lunches. If that’s the case for you, it may be a great opportunity for you to teach your kids how to pack their own lunches and let go a bit on the reigns. Not only can you educate them on how to create a nutritious meal, but you can also share the ins and outs of meal prepping, grocery planning, and grocery shopping with them.

Not sure how to get that ball rolling? I recommend you start with a simple conversation. “What do you like to eat?” “Do you have enough *insert food group* in your lunch?” You may even be surprised by the responses that you get.

How To Hand Off Packing Lunches

Take time at the beginning of the week to help clean, chop, and prepare the foods, but let them pull together the actual lunch

  • Encourage them to plan a complete meal, such as a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, crunchy snack, and drink... ideally water

  • Require them to unpack and wash their own lunch containers and join you for the weekly shopping

It’s important to be realistic about your expectations. If your kids currently buy meals for lunch at school five days a week, packing lunches at home will most likely not happen every day. And that’s okay! Sit down together each month and review the upcoming school menu. Allow them to choose what meals they enjoy most from school and incorporate their packed lunches around those choices.

Dinner

Dinner is potentially the easiest meal to get your kids involved in the process. You can talk through the weekly menu together, incorporate foods they’re excited to eat, and perhaps even prepare a dish or two together. Again, all ages can participate in dinner time from young children helping to stir a sauce to teenagers making a side dish.

Tips To Remember For Dinner Time.

  1. Select foods you know your kids will love but also help them expand their selections

  2. Engage them in the dinner-making process in an age-appropriate way as to not overwhelm them

  3. For older children, allow them to be in charge of the entire dinner one night each week

  4. Giving them responsibility for the whole meal will allow them to make choices and be creative

Much like packing lunches, be realistic about your expectations for dinner time. If you currently get takeout for dinner 4-5 days a week, cooking every single night at home is not a realistic goal. After looking at your weekly schedules, decide with your family when it makes sense to have home-cooked dinners together, and what days the dinner out would make more sense.

Meals Meant to Inspire This Fall

Fall is one of my favorite seasons for food. I love the seasonal veggies, as well as the heartier meals you don’t often crave in the hot summer months. These fall favorites also add to the ease of our family dinners providing weekday leftovers. If you’re looking to freshen up your menu this fall, check out some of my personal favorite strategies to keep it simple.

Favorite Fall Meals That Make Great Leftovers

  1. Plan a large Sunday dinner with a whole turkey or chicken, chili, or spaghetti and meatballs. These delicious options can be made in bulk and make great leftover meals throughout the week

  2. Make freezer meals such as soups, casseroles, or stews

  3. Serve crockpot meals, including pulled chicken, beef and pork, or easy sides like beans and rice. Try using the meats for sandwiches throughout the week

  4. Roast large trays of veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and carrots

  5. Roast large trays of white potatoes and sweet potatoes to use as a side at breakfast, lunch, or dinner

  6. Cook a large batch of rice in the Instapot to use as a base for other soups and meals

  7. Try Stir Fry with chicken, steak, or shrimp, and cook it in bulk. It’s an easy way to use up ripe vegetables

Helpful Tips and Reminders

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan is a book I love to reference for guidelines and reminders around food, and it’s perfect for all ages. I encourage you to read the book for yourself, however, here are a few of my favorite takeaways.

  • Create the habit of cooking

  • Eat actual meals vs constant snacking

  • Spend as much time enjoying the meal as you spent preparing the meal

  • Eat mostly foods that will eventually rot

  • Eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re…<insert feeling or emotion> bored, tired, stressed, etc.

  • Treat treats as treats

  • If you’re going to eat junk food, at least prepare it yourself

Regardless of where you are in your own journey with food, I hope you remember that improvements can always be made, and rigid restrictions are not needed. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be impactful!

When you commit to taking consistent steps to improve the ways you prioritize your meals, your children will learn to do the same. The thoughtful choices you make together will allow your entire family to experience positive and long-lasting results that will directly impact your mealtime and the quality and enjoyment of your life.

Also featured on Susquehanna Style Magazine.